What are SSI asset limits?
SSI's resource limit is two thousand dollars for an individual and three thousand dollars for a couple — frozen by statute since 1989. Most of what people own — the home, one vehicle, household goods, ABLE account savings, designated burial funds — doesn't count. The trap is the resource transfer lookback: giving away assets to qualify can backfire for up to 36 months.
Dr. Ed Weir, PhD · 20 years inside Social Security · "Former" Sergeant, USMC
Updated April 2026
What are SSI asset limits?
SSI asset limits in 2026 are two thousand dollars for an individual and three thousand dollars for a couple. Your primary residence, one vehicle, household goods, ABLE account assets up to one hundred thousand dollars, and a designated burial fund are excluded. SSI looks back 36 months at uncompensated transfers, so don't give away assets without legal advice.
If you also need help comparing Medicare options when you turn 65 (or earlier on disability), Chapter can connect you to a licensed advisor at no cost.
Free help from licensed Medicare advisors
Chapter is a free service offering licensed Medicare advisors. They don't charge you, and they can walk you through coverage options without pressuring a specific plan. Many people on SSI also qualify for Medicaid and Medicare Savings Programs — a Chapter advisor can help you understand how those interact.
Here's what to do, in 4 steps.
Here's how I'd think through the SSI asset rules in order. Inventory what you own first, separate exempt items from countable, then plan around any gap. If you need to move money or property to qualify, get legal advice before you do anything — the 36-month lookback can disqualify you from SSI for months or years.
1. Inventory your resources
List everything you own and split it into two columns: countable (cash, checking, savings, stocks, second home, second car) and exempt (primary home, one vehicle, household goods, ABLE balance, designated burial fund up to $1,500). Most people are surprised how little ends up countable.
POMS SI 01110.003 — Resources overview ›2. Open an ABLE account if eligible
ABLE accounts let people whose disability began before age 46 (under SECURE 2.0, effective 2026) save up to $19,000/year in 2026 with the first $100,000 excluded from the SSI resource test. Most states run their own ABLE program; you can enroll in any state's plan.
ABLE National Resource Center ›3. Set aside burial funds correctly
Up to $1,500 per spouse for burial expenses can be excluded from the resource test, but only if the funds are designated and separately maintained. POMS SI 01130.410 lays out the documentation. A pre-paid burial contract is the cleanest way.
POMS SI 01130.410 — Burial funds ›4. Don't transfer assets without legal advice
SSI looks back 36 months at uncompensated transfers (Section 206, P.L. 106-169). Giving away cash, property, or even refusing an inheritance can trigger a penalty period — uncompensated value divided by the federal benefit rate, up to 36 months. Talk to a disability or elder-law attorney before any transfer.
POMS SI 01150.110 — Period of ineligibility for transfers ›The numbers that matter for SSI assets in 2026
Which of these sounds more like you?
Twenty years inside Social Security taught me that the asset rules trip up almost everyone — usually because people assume their house or car will disqualify them. They don't. Pick the situation that sounds most like yours.
I own my homePrimary residence — any value, any equity
Your primary residence is fully excluded from SSI's resource test — regardless of value or equity. POMS SI 01130.100 puts no cap on it. The land it sits on, even if it's a working farm or large parcel, is also excluded as long as it's the home.
If you move out and don't intend to return, the rules shift. The home generally stops being excluded after the move, though there are nuanced rules for nursing home stays and conditional exclusions while the property is for sale.
I've seen people refuse to file for SSI because they assumed their paid-off house would disqualify them. It won't. The home exclusion has no value cap.
I have a carOne vehicle is exempt regardless of value
One vehicle per household is excluded — no value cap, regardless of make, model, or what it's worth. POMS SI 01130.200 and 20 CFR 416.1218 are the operative rules. It can be a $2,000 used sedan or a $50,000 wheelchair-accessible van; one vehicle is exempt.
A second vehicle, however, is countable at fair market value minus any loan balance. If you have two cars and the second pushes you over the resource limit, that's the one to address.
Most people don't realize the value cap on vehicles was removed in 2005. Today, one vehicle of any value is excluded.
I'm over the resource limit — what can I do?Spend-down and ABLE are usually the right path
If you're over the $2,000 individual / $3,000 couple cap, the safest route is a legitimate spend-down: medical bills, home repairs, pre-paid burial contracts, paying off debt, or contributing to an ABLE account if you're eligible. Each of those converts countable resources into either an exempt resource or services consumed.
What you should NOT do is gift assets away or transfer them to a relative for less than fair market value. That triggers the 36-month lookback under Section 206 of P.L. 106-169 — the penalty is the uncompensated transfer value divided by the federal benefit rate, capped at 36 months.
I'm a flashlight, not a courtroom. Before you transfer any asset to qualify for SSI, talk to a disability or elder-law attorney — the lookback can disqualify you for years, and a properly structured spend-down or trust avoids the trap.
I have an ABLE accountUp to $100,000 excluded from SSI
ABLE accounts (Section 529A of the Internal Revenue Code) let people with qualifying disabilities save without losing SSI. The first $100,000 in your ABLE balance is excluded from the SSI resource test (POMS SI 01130.740). Above that, SSI is suspended (not terminated) until the balance comes back down.
SECURE 2.0 (P.L. 117-328, Division T) expanded eligibility: starting in 2026, your disability needs to have begun before age 46, not age 26 as before. Annual contributions are capped at $19,000 in 2026 (matching the federal gift tax annual exclusion).
What surprised me was how few people use ABLE. With the SECURE 2.0 age-46 expansion effective 2026, millions more disabled adults are now eligible.
Family wants to leave me moneyDirect gifts vs. Special Needs Trusts
A direct cash gift or inheritance counts as income in the month received, then as a resource the next month — enough to push most SSI recipients over the limit. A check from a relative, a life insurance payout, an inheritance: all hit the resource test.
The planning tool is a Special Needs Trust. Self-settled SNTs under 42 USC 1396p(d)(4)(A) work for individuals under 65 funded with the beneficiary's own assets. Pooled SNTs under (d)(4)(C) have no age cap. Properly drafted, the trust holds assets that don't count for SSI.
I'm a flashlight, not a courtroom. Special Needs Trusts must be drafted by an attorney who specializes in this — a generic estate-planning lawyer is not enough. Get an SNT specialist before any inheritance lands.
I have life insuranceTerm vs. whole-life rules differ
Term life insurance has no cash value, so it's generally a non-issue for the resource test. Whole-life is different: if your combined face value across all whole-life policies is $1,500 or less per spouse, the policies are excluded entirely. Above $1,500 in face value, the cash surrender value is countable (POMS SI 01130.300).
If the cash value alone pushes you near the limit, a small policy can sometimes be exchanged for an irrevocable burial contract — which gets you into the burial-fund exclusion lane.
Most people miss that the $1,500 threshold is on face value, not cash value. Once face value exceeds $1,500, it's the cash surrender value that gets counted.
I'm helping a parent or family memberCaregiver primer for SSI resource tracking
If you're managing resources for a parent, sibling, or adult child on SSI, your job is to keep countable resources under $2,000 (or $3,000 for a couple) at the start of every month. Bank statements are what trip people up — SSA can ask to see them at any redetermination.
The quick checklist: pull all bank account balances on the first of each month, separate the burial fund into its own designated account, document any large deposits (gifts, refunds, settlements) the same month they arrive, and flag any planned asset transfer to an attorney before it happens.
Don't get caught by this — if a relative deposits money into a bank account titled in the SSI recipient's name, that's income then a resource. Joint accounts make this worse.
My situation isn't covered hereWhere to go next
Resource rules have a lot of edge cases — trusts, business assets, joint accounts with non-recipients, retirement accounts you can't access without penalty, conditional benefits, real property held with co-owners. The POMS SI 01110 through SI 01150 series is where SSA staff look these up.
For any specific situation that doesn't fit the cards above, I'd start with two calls: SSA at 1-800-772-1213 for the basic rule, and a disability or elder-law attorney for the strategy. Both of those are free or low-cost first consults.
If your situation has any wrinkle — an LLC, an inherited IRA, a trust you didn't create, a property in another country — the rule for you is in the POMS but you'll want a human to walk you through it. Start with SSA, then an attorney.
How SSI assets connect to other programs
SSI's resource rules don't apply the same way to every program. Here's how the asset test interacts with SSDI, Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and asset-planning tools like Special Needs Trusts.
SSDI
SSDI has no resource limit — it's based on your work credits, not your assets. If you have substantial savings or own additional property, you may qualify for SSDI even when SSI is off the table.
Medicaid
In most states (1634 states), SSI eligibility automatically qualifies you for Medicaid. Medicaid asset rules generally parallel SSI but vary by state and category — long-term care Medicaid uses a 60-month transfer lookback, not 36.
Medicare
Medicare itself has no asset test — eligibility is based on age 65 (or 24 months on SSDI). Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help (Low-Income Subsidy) for Part D do have asset limits, but they're more generous than SSI's.
SNAP
SNAP resource rules are separate from SSI's and generally more permissive. Most households can have up to $3,000 in countable resources (higher if a member is elderly or disabled), and many states have eliminated the SNAP asset test entirely.
State SSI supplements
Most state supplements use the same resource rules as federal SSI. A few states with their own administered supplements may have additional state-specific exemptions — your state's SSA office can confirm.
Special Needs Trusts
Properly drafted Special Needs Trusts under 42 USC 1396p(d)(4)(A) (self-settled, under age 65) or (d)(4)(C) (pooled, no age cap) hold assets that don't count for SSI. SNT drafting requires an attorney experienced in disability planning.
Everything people ask me about SSI assets
Why is the SSI asset limit only $2,000?
It's been frozen by statute since 1989. The limit is set in 42 USC § 1382(a)(3)(B), and Congress hasn't updated it for inflation. Bipartisan bills (the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act has been introduced multiple sessions) would raise the limits, but none has passed. The current numbers are $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple.
Does my house count?
No. Your primary residence is excluded from SSI's resource test — any value, any equity, any size lot. POMS SI 01130.100 puts no cap on the home exclusion. The land it sits on is also excluded as part of the home.
Does my car count?
One vehicle is exempt regardless of value (POMS SI 01130.200; 20 CFR 416.1218). A second vehicle is countable at fair market value minus any loan balance. The value cap on vehicles was removed in 2005.
What about my retirement accounts?
Most retirement accounts (401(k), traditional IRA) are countable resources for SSI when they're accessible to you (POMS SI 01120.210). Cashing out can also create tax and Medicaid problems, so coordinate with a financial planner or elder-law attorney before drawing one down to qualify for SSI.
What is an ABLE account?
ABLE accounts (Achieving a Better Life Experience, Section 529A of the Internal Revenue Code) let people with qualifying disabilities save up to $19,000 per year in 2026, with the first $100,000 excluded from the SSI resource test. SECURE 2.0 (P.L. 117-328, Division T) expanded eligibility to people whose disability began before age 46, effective 2026 (previously age 26).
Can I have a life insurance policy?
Term life is usually a non-issue — it has no cash surrender value. Whole-life depends on face value: if your combined face value across whole-life policies is $1,500 or less per spouse, the policies are excluded entirely. Above that threshold, the cash surrender value is countable (POMS SI 01130.300).
What's the 36-month lookback?
Section 206 of P.L. 106-169 (the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999) created a period of ineligibility for SSI when an applicant or recipient transfers resources for less than fair market value within 36 months of filing. POMS SI 01150.110 sets the rule. The penalty length equals the uncompensated transfer value divided by the federal benefit rate, capped at 36 months. Refusing an inheritance counts as a transfer.
Can a Special Needs Trust hold money for me without affecting SSI?
Yes. Properly drafted Special Needs Trusts under 42 USC 1396p(d)(4)(A) (self-settled, individual under 65, with state Medicaid payback) or (d)(4)(C) (pooled, no age cap) can hold assets that don't count against SSI. SNT drafting requires legal expertise — a generic estate-planning attorney is not enough; you need an SNT specialist.
What's the burial-fund exclusion?
Up to $1,500 per spouse can be set aside for burial expenses and excluded from the resource test. The fund must be designated for burial and separately maintained — it can't sit in your general checking account (POMS SI 01130.410). A pre-paid irrevocable burial contract is the cleanest way to satisfy the rule.
Do household goods count?
No. Household goods and personal effects are categorically excluded from the resource test with no value cap (POMS SI 01130.430; 20 CFR 416.1216). The cap on household goods was removed in 2005, so furniture, appliances, jewelry, and personal items don't count regardless of value.
Sources
Every figure and rule on this page is verified against primary sources. Last verified 2026-04-28.
- The primary residence (home of any value) is excluded from SSI countable resources under 42 USC § 1382b(a)(1) and POMS SI 01130.100. —secure.ssa.gov(verified 2026-04-29)
- One vehicle is excluded regardless of value under POMS SI 01130.200 and 20 CFR § 416.1218 (cap removed effective March 9, 2005). —secure.ssa.gov(verified 2026-04-29)
- Household goods and personal effects are excluded with no value cap since 2005 (POMS SI 01130.430; 20 CFR § 416.1216). —secure.ssa.gov(verified 2026-04-29)
- Up to $1,500 per spouse in designated burial funds is excluded from countable resources (POMS SI 01130.410). —secure.ssa.gov(verified 2026-04-29)
- ABLE account assets up to $100,000 are excluded from SSI countable resources (POMS SI 01130.740; 26 USC § 529A; 42 USC § 1382b(e)). —secure.ssa.gov(verified 2026-04-29)
- SSI imposes a 36-month resource-transfer lookback for uncompensated transfers under Section 206 of P.L. 106-169 (Foster Care Independence Act of 1999), codified at 42 USC § 1382b(c) and implemented by … —secure.ssa.gov(verified 2026-04-29)
- The transfer penalty equals the uncompensated transfer value divided by the federal benefit rate (FBR), capped at 36 months (POMS SI 01150.111). —secure.ssa.gov(verified 2026-04-29)
- Cash, bank accounts, stocks, bonds, and accessible retirement accounts are countable resources for SSI (POMS SI 01120 series, including SI 01120.210 for retirement plans). —secure.ssa.gov(verified 2026-04-29)
- Life insurance with combined face value of $1,500 or less per spouse is excluded; above that threshold, the cash surrender value of whole-life policies is countable (POMS SI 01130.300). —secure.ssa.gov(verified 2026-04-29)
- The Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) exclusion allows otherwise-countable income and resources to be set aside to fund a work-related goal (POMS SI 00870.001; 42 USC § 1382a(b)(4)(A) and § … —secure.ssa.gov(verified 2026-04-29)
- SSI's resource limit is $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple, set by 42 USC § 1382(a)(3)(B) and frozen by statute since 1989. —govinfo.gov(verified 2026-04-29)
- Self-settled Special Needs Trusts under 42 USC § 1396p(d)(4)(A) can hold assets without counting against SSI for individuals under age 65 (with state Medicaid payback at termination). —govinfo.gov(verified 2026-04-29)
- Pooled Special Needs Trusts under 42 USC § 1396p(d)(4)(C) are available without an age cap and are typically administered by a non-profit association. —govinfo.gov(verified 2026-04-29)
- SECURE 2.0 (Public Law 117-328, Division T, Section 124) expanded ABLE eligibility from disability onset before age 26 to disability onset before age 46, effective for taxable years beginning after … —law.cornell.edu(verified 2026-04-29)
- ABLE annual contribution limit for 2026 is $19,000, matching the federal gift tax annual exclusion under 26 USC § 2503(b). —irs.gov(verified 2026-04-29)
Helping someone else manage SSI resources?
If you're helping a parent, sibling, or adult child track resources for SSI, here's the short version: countable resources have to stay under two thousand dollars (or three thousand dollars for a couple), but most everyday possessions don't count. Bank statements are what trip people up — get those organized first, then loop in a disability or elder-law attorney before any asset transfer.
→ Get help for someone elseHelp me keep it.
SSI asset limits don't move often, but ABLE rules and lookback enforcement do. I'll send you a short note whenever the rules shift in a way that affects you.
No spam. Unsubscribe any time.